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Five-Star Deans leads ANU to Grand Final win

A sensational five goal haul from Chase Deans lead ANU Football Club to a 5-1 win over O’Connor Knights in the Capital League Grand Final on Sunday afternoon.

The Knights began the game with a lot more of the ball, pinning ANU back as they began to create chances. Josip Jadric spurned an early chance as he volleyed wide off a cross from the left, before Sam Carters had a big chance up the other end only to see it saved well down low by Keegan Jackson.

But the Premiers made the breakthrough shortly after, as Deans was sent in behind the defence and finished cleanly to put his side a goal up. Knights continued to create chances after going behind, and Jadric was causing problems for the ANU defence but was unable to capitalise, heading over on the half hour mark from another good chance.

Five minutes later though they drew level, as Marcin Zygmunt’s long ball out of defence set Danny Krajacic away in space. Adam Robens rushed out of his goal mouth to challenge, and Krajacic poked the ball delicately past him and into the bottom corner to level proceedings.

With the teams locked at one-all after 45 minutes it was all to play for in the second half, and Carters headed wide just after the break to let the Knights off the hook.

Jadric had another chance after 56 minutes as he went racing in behind, but Robens came up big and saved brilliantly to deny him a go-ahead goal.

With scores still locked and neither side grabbing the incentive, it was a special goal from Deans that gave ANU the lead. The Captain found space outside the box, and unchallenged let fly with an absolute peach that curled away from Jackson and into the top corner.

He had his hat-trick seven minutes later as he headed home after the ball came off the crossbar, and ANU were suddenly two goals clear with fifteen minutes to go.

Two more goals in the final ten minutes from Deans more than sealed the match, as he volleyed home a bouncing ball in the box before sweeping in a cross with seven minutes to go to round off a remarkable afternoon.